Safari drop box

Shane · Post by **Shane** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 8:14 pm

Over the last few weeks I've been making up some radials arm drop box's for my safari(LWB high roof Whale with a 4" EFS springs fitted)after some research I decided the drop box was the system to go for.
Thought I'd share the progress with you guys.
I used 6mm plate being more than twice the thickness of the factory support system should be strong enough,I made them as slim as possible to reduce the amount of ground clearance lost(approx 95mm from chassis to bottom of drop box).I got a cert welder to do that part so I don't have problems when time comes to get vehicle certed.they are held in place with the 4 crossmember bolts plus 3 more bolts(2 you can see at the front the other 1 at the back)if I find they start moving round might weld in place.I get approx 1.5 to 2 deg +caster with drop box's fitted.

Blue drop box is aftermarket one,has less ground clearance but more caster.

doddzee · Post by **doddzee** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 8:48 pm

They look good, I have the same job coming up soon. Do the front two bolts bolt through the bottom plate old raidus arm mount or just clamp down on it? I didnt think there was much to bolt to when i looked under mine.

Shane · Post by **Shane** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 9:17 pm

doddzee wrote:They look good, I have the same job coming up soon. Do the front two bolts bolt through the bottom plate old raidus arm mount or just clamp down on it? I didnt think there was much to bolt to when i looked under mine.

no theres not much to bolt to on the front,bolts do go through chassis plate but only just(approx 75% through plate).I drilled the bolts in place just after the second pic was taken so the bolts had a nice tight fit.
drive shaft is dead streight now,spring saddle's are flater,radials bushes not so loaded also which must give better artic when I can aford some long shocks.caster was 3 1/2 deg - before drop box's were fitted.

Shane

worthog · Post by **worthog** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 8:58 pm

Doddzee, guess you are going to make two sets of these while you are at them - come on mate

Shane · Post by **Shane** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 6:50 am

worthog wrote:Doddzee, guess you are going to make two sets of these while you are at them - come on mate

I have enough steel to make another set if your interested?

Shane

worthog · Post by **worthog** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 8:06 am

Shane what sort of body and suspenion lift have you done to warrant the drop boxes

doddzee · Post by **doddzee** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 8:17 am

Shane what sort of body and suspenion lift have you done to warrant the drop boxes

You usually go for drop boxes when caster correction bushes will not do the job, 4" suspension and over. Unless you are going to lify yours higher Worthog there isnt much point.

Shane have you made them so they move the diff foward slightly to take into account that the diff move backwards slightly when lifting them? Due to the radius arms moving back in an arc

What would you want for a pair? May save me making some.

Shane · Post by **Shane** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 8:07 pm

worthog wrote:Shane what sort of body and suspenion lift have you done to warrant the drop boxes

4" suspenion lift,no body lift.
These drop box's would suit a 3"-4" lift,not enough caster correction for a 5" lift(would need to be more like the blue ones in above pic)

Shane

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